


Omg, They Were Zoommates!

by MalMuses



Category: Supernatural
Genre: (As much as its possible to pine in 7k), Accountant Castiel (Supernatural), Alternate Universe - Office, COVID-19, Happy Ending, Love in the time of COVID, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Mutual Pining, No one in this fic has the virus - but Dean does have allergies, Sales Manager Dean Winchester, Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc. (Supernatural), quarantine fic, social distancing, video conferencing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:00:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23355052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalMuses/pseuds/MalMuses
Summary: Dean's employer has sent him home to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dean anticipates a couple of months of sitting on his couch in a dress shirt and his pajama pants, listening to his awful boss talk endlessly on Zoom.Luckily for Dean, he gets to spend his time video conferencing with a gorgeous accountant, instead.Castiel is professional, excellent at his job, and really easy on the eyes. Quarantine is looking up.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 256
Kudos: 1189
Collections: The Destiel Fan Survey Favs Collection





	Omg, They Were Zoommates!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, fic friends!
> 
> I have missed you! 
> 
> The past month has been...oof. Well, those of you who know me on social media will already know that we had a frightening medical scare in my family, then there's the whole scary virus thing, and I'm having to work at home with two young kids - it's been, shall we say, A Lot (TM).
> 
> I've been scrambling and anxious, and I'm WAY behind on answering my AO3 comments, which is unlike me; but, rest assured, I will get to every one of them now I'm kicking myself back into action.
> 
> So what better to do to get back on the horse than give you a silly little one shot from [this Tumblr prompt?](https://ao3commentoftheday.tumblr.com/post/613719965388947456/of-course-i-love-and-they-were-quarantined-but)
> 
> Thanks to my brilliant beta and friend [jscribbles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jscribbles/). I don't know where I'd be without her. Go check out her stuff, folks, its amazing and so is she.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> \- Mal <3
> 
> P.S. That punny title probably requires an apology, but I'm rather shameless. So...here we are.

  
  
  
  


“Dude, are you wearing pants?”

Dean looked downward from his laptop screen.

Then back up.

“Kinda?”

“Dean.” Sam wrinkled his nose. “At least put some real pants on before you call Adler. You know he’ll find any excuse to fire people now that you’re all working from home.” 

And wasn’t that a hideous truth. Dean had been stuck in his house for two weeks already, one of the first to be packed off by his company when a dude on his sales team had developed a very concerning cough. Two weeks of awkward conference calls, depressing webinars, and Zachariah Adler’s bulging face filling Dean’s laptop screen every time he logged into Zoom. Ugh.

Dean inhaled, sucking in a long breath and then puffing out his cheeks, letting it out with a long whistle. “Yeah. What a douchebag.”

“You’re not wrong. Anyway, I need to go. I have so many cases to review, but the kids are treating Eileen’s last vestiges of sanity like an obstacle course.”

Dean grimaced. “You know I always wanted a family, Sammy, but right at this very moment… Yeah, I don’t envy you one bit. Good luck.”

He pushed up from his desk chair. He needed to make some fresh coffee before he could deal with Adler.

“Are those your car washing shorts?!” Sam shrieked at his rear.

Okay. He’d change before Adler.

Fifteen minutes later, coffee in hand and real, _actual_ pants belted firmly around his waist, Dean neatened his tie and lowered himself into his desk chair once more. He’d been working for Sandover Inc. for almost twelve years now and Adler had been his boss for over half of that time. If he was honest with himself, Dean knew that he would have quit long ago if Adler’s own boss—a slimy cretin who was _actually,_ hilariously, named Dick—hadn’t dangled a promotion to Director of Sales at Dean so many times. Currently, that was Adler’s job.

Now, if the cantankerous fucker would just hurry up and retire…

Sighing, Dean took a last sip of coffee before connecting to his Zoom call. 

“Good morning, Winchester,” Zachariah’s offensively polite voice slithered through Dean’s laptop speakers. “Glad you decided to finally join us.”

Smiling tightly, Dean put on his best work voice. “Good morning, Zachariah. How are you and the children? Doing well at home?” He didn’t mention, of course, that he was technically still three minutes early.

Adler waved his hand dismissively. “I’m sure they’re fine. Their nanny tried to say she had some relative she had to go take care of, but we persuaded her otherwise. If she wants to keep her job, she has to do her job just like the rest of us.”

Lovely.

“Did you have time to look over the reports I emailed?” Dean asked quickly, changing the subject before he said something he’d regret.

“Yes. Figures are dropping, but I suppose that’s to be expected in a pandemic. Don’t let it stay that way though, Winchester.”

As if Dean had any control of people’s spending habits when their customers were under Shelter-In-Place orders just like he was. “Of course,” Dean said, feeling his thin smile flatten even further.

“Now, about the new sales software,” Zachariah said, moving on like the uncaring bulldozer he was. “You’re going to have to work very closely with accounting over the next few weeks to get this set up and make sure it’s suitable for you both. We can’t delay, so I told Naomi to assign you one of her best technicians.”

Dean nodded, glad that he wouldn’t have to work directly with Naomi. She was almost as bad as Adler. “Great, can you send me his details?”

A loud, irritating clacking noise burst out of Dean’s speakers as Adler’s fingers thumped across his keyboard. “Better than that, I’ll get him in on the call so you can get started.”

“Oh, I—” Dean had planned to gather some of the needed paperwork before calling accounting, but his objection didn’t make it out before another face was appearing in a second box on the screen next to Adler’s bug-eyed, bald head.

“Novak,” Adler barked, “You in?”

“Yes, Mister Adler,” an incredibly deep, rumbling voice responded. The camera was still focusing, but even without a crisp, clear picture, Dean knew he was going to enjoy these calls.

The accounting technician’s eyes were like cornflowers, the most vivid blue Dean had ever seen on a human being. Peering out from a lightly tanned face, around Dean’s age perhaps, and three-days worth of stubble, they were captivating—which probably worked in his favor, as it took Dean a moment to realize that the dude’s hair was sticking straight up on one side. It was like he’d scrambled quickly off the couch and away from an accidental nap to take this call...which he probably had, all things considered. 

“Good,” Adler crooned revoltingly. “Here he is, Dean. Get it done.”

With that, Adler disconnected.

The man on the screen blinked twice, slow and confused, before pushing a hand nervously back through his hair. Ahh...that’s what was up with the hair. “Good morning,” he said, smiling awkwardly.

“Hey,” Dean said, chuckling and leaning back in his seat. “Don’t mind Adler, he’s always like that. I’m Dean.”

“Castiel,” the accountant said, raising his hand in a dorky little wave. “I guess I’m going to be your numbers guy.”

x

They spent four hours video conferencing that first day, going over each of their department’s requirements for the project. There were certainly some spots where their needs would overlap, but equally some areas where Dean could see trouble ahead. Regardless, Castiel was professional and knowledgeable, and Dean had a feeling he’d make the project a lot easier for them both. 

The fact that he was _incredibly_ hot was neither here nor there. 

They set up an agreement to speak after lunch every day, giving them the morning to work on their other responsibilities before settling onto Zoom at one o’clock to begin to crack away at the project. 

If they’d been able to meet in person, Dean would have suggested face-to-face meetings—Castiel’s office was in the secondary Sandover building, only a short drive across town from Dean’s. Just to facilitate easy communication, of course. It had nothing to do with stray thoughts that questioned if Castiel was this beautiful in person, or if his small polite smile could crack into something bigger. And it had nothing to do with the strange need to reach out and straighten his tie.

They got more comfortable with each other as the days went on, but everything was still very professional. Dean found himself wanting to know things about Cas, as he’d come to call him. Things that just didn’t seem terribly white-collar to ask in the midst of arguing over which sections of the software needed to include sales tax and which didn’t. Questions like, how old was he? He looked about the same age as Dean, maybe a little older, but Dean wasn’t the best judge of that kind of thing. Did he have a family? A partner of some kind? How did he like his eggs in the morning? Did he need help running his fingers through his hair?

Dean pushed the thoughts away. They had a job to do.

It was Thursday afternoon, and Dean and Castiel had been arguing back and forth amiably for twenty minutes about credit card fees. Dean’s apartment was getting warm, he wanted to take his suit jacket off and loosen his tie—surely Castiel wouldn’t mind? They’d been talking to each other all week. They were friendly colleagues by now… Surely Dean could lose some layers.

While Castiel talked about percentages for different cards, Dean subtly eased his chair back away from the camera. Reaching up, he shrugged his suit jacket from his shoulders. When his fingers moved up to his tie, Castiel paused.

“Uh, I hope you don’t mind if I—” Dean waved vaguely at his tie. “It’s really hot in here, is all.”

In response, Castiel reached up to his blue tie (which complimented the color of his eyes beautifully) and yanked at the knot firmly. 

“Thank goodness,” he said, chuckling as he loosened the silk and then began rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. “I didn’t want to cross any lines, but really, working from home and still having to dress up is awful.”

“Agreed,” Dean said, grinning warmly. Taking Castiel’s lead, he loosened the buttons around the wrists of his salmon pink shirt and began to roll the heavy cotton back to his elbows neatly.

Done, he looked back up to his laptop screen. Castiel’s head jerked upward, and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“So, uh, the Mastercard fee,” Castiel began again. 

Had he been staring at Dean’s forearms? Because that would certainly be an interesting development in their professional relationship. Dean grinned, allowing a little weighty pause before he dived back into boring number talk, but then he blinked, pulled up short.

Was something _moving_ behind Cas?

“Uh, Cas,” Dean interrupted swiftly. “I think there’s something in your apartment.”

Castiel squinted.

“Like a rat or something,” Dean grimaced pointing at the screen, over Castiel’s shoulder. “Behind you.”

Dean hoped the dude wasn’t afraid of mice or anything, but he didn’t expect the low, rumbling chuckle that fell from Castiel’s lips.

He’d never heard Cas laugh before, and _damn_ was that sexy.

“That’s not a rat,” Castiel said, pushing up from his seat. His voice got a little distant just for a moment, but Dean could still make out; “It’s just Meg. She must have gotten out of her cage.”

“Meg?” Dean asked, trying—and entirely failing—not to stare at Castiel’s impressive ass as he bent over in front of the camera, making little encouraging noises as he picked up something from the floor. Damn, those pants were tight.

“Meg,” Castiel reiterated, sitting back down. “I apologize, this is very unprofessional of me.”

Against his chest, Castiel was holding a tufty-haired, brown and white guinea pig.

“Oh,” said Dean, letting out a little laugh. “Definitely not a rat. You have a pet guinea pig? Or…your kids, maybe?”

Castiel smiled, looking down at the chubby rodent as it nuzzled lazily against his tie .”Oh, she’s mine. I don’t have any children. I live alone, so Meg is valuable company.”

“She’s cute,” Dean said, smiling warmly. So was Castiel, but he didn’t mention that part.

Petting Meg’s ears, Castiel jerked his head to the side. “Give me just a moment, I’ll pop her back in her cage. It’s not safe for her to roam around unsupervised.”

Dean nodded, and Castiel disappeared with the guinea pig. Dean could have sworn that the creature threw him a dirty look before it departed, but Castiel seemed adorably besotted with the thing, nuzzling his face down into her fur as he walked off and saying soft words that Dean couldn’t make out.

Yup, cute.

x

“I know it’s not ideal, Dean, but I don’t know what else to do. I have to find some toilet paper and there’s no way I can take Bobbi to the store. You know she has asthma.”

“Okay, okay,” Dean said with a sigh, tucking his cell phone under his other ear. “Disinfect her and drop her off. I’ll keep her with me for a couple of hours.”

“Best big brother ever.”

“Remember that next time I want something, bitch.”

Bobbi was three, and she was adorable, but Dean had no idea how he was going to get any work done. Thank God; Sam’s plan of attack for the local Piggly Wiggly had him going after lunch when the currently soccer-less moms in beige minivans had already departed. That meant that Bobbi would only be around during Dean’s calls with Cas, not with Adler. His boss never had to know.

“Uncle Dean!” she yelled enthusiastically, all knobbly knees and tiny pigtails as she ricocheted her way through Dean’s small kitchen. 

“Hey, kiddo!” he greeted her, kneeling down to her level. “What do you say to watching some TV while uncle Dean talks to his coworker, huh?”

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “New Frozen,” she said solemnly.

Dean sighed. She was a negotiator just like her Dad, who had high-tailed his way back out to the car the second she’d been admitted to the apartment. 

“Sure. New Frozen,” he agreed grumpily.

Pulling her up onto his hip just because it made her giggle, Dean walked through to the living room with Bobbi. From his laptop atop the desk, Dean heard the familiar chime of someone entering the Zoom room that he’d set up with Castiel. Damn it, he was early.

Dean detoured to the desk quickly to pick up his wireless headset and greet Cas.

“Oh. Hello, Dean,” Castiel said immediately, no doubt surprised by the child attached to Dean’s hip. “Who’s this?”

“This is Bobbi,” Dean said with a proud smile at the little girl before looking back to Cas on the screen. “I’m really sorry about this. I know this is so, so unprofessional. If Adler found out I’d be—”

Castiel ignored Dean, speaking right over him. “Hello, Bobbi. It’s nice to meet you. How old are you?”

“Three!” she chirped confidently. “I’m gonna watch new Frozen.”

“Oh, wow,” said Castiel seriously. “Do you know all the songs?”

Bobbi nodded solemnly. “Yes, sir,” she said, a little more shy.

“Well, you make sure you sing along,” Castiel said with a grin. “New Frozen is much more interesting than what we’re working on over here.”

Dean chuckled, lowering the kid to the floor. “Go on, kid. Get set up on the couch, I’ll get Disney Plus up and running.”

A few minutes later, Dean was settled in front of the laptop with the opening scenes of Frozen 2 occupying his niece. Castiel was wearing a soft, navy shirt today Dean noted, rather than a dress shirt. It still had buttons, technically, but it was definitely more casual. It looked great against his skin, Dean couldn’t help but think. They’d been getting more and more relaxed in their second week of working together, and Dean wondered if he could start getting away with sweatpants. Wearing a belt in his own house was getting old.

“Good afternoon, Dean,” Castiel greeted again as Dean picked his headset back up. “Don’t worry about Bobbi. If you have to take pauses to check on her, I don’t mind. I wasn’t aware you had children.”

“She’s not mine,” Dean clarified, possibly a little too quickly. “She’s my niece, actually. I live by myself so my brother asked if I’d watch her for a couple of hours while he went in search of TP.”

“Oh,” Castiel said. Was that a tiny flush on his cheeks? Through the camera, it was hard to be sure. “I apologize for my presumption.”

“It’s fine,” Dean said, waving a hand. “I’m just glad you don’t mind her being here.”

“Not at all,” Cas reassured him. “We’re in strange times, we have to make do. And anyway, I like the music...if not the singing.”

Bobbi’s wildly out of tune but very enthusiastic rendition of ‘Some Things Never Change’ filled the room. 

Dean’s head slumped into his hand and he chuckled. “She’ll never be a rockstar but she’s got spirit.”

Castiel laughed, and Dean felt his chest constrict at the warm smile showing on his laptop screen.

“Thanks, Cas. Really.”

“Not a problem, Dean. Now, where were we at with the invoice numbers?”

x

Days later, Dean dragged himself out of bed reluctantly, shuffling into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a loose gray hoodie. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed at his eyes before rolling into the living room to begin his day.

His throat was a little raspy by lunchtime. He didn’t like it.

He tried not to be paranoid, though; it was probably just allergies, he got those. There were so many things it _could_ be, he didn’t want to make a fuss. By the time Cas called for their daily check-in, he was coughing a little from the tickly feeling.

“Are you alright, Dean?” Castiel asked in concern, leaning forward on his desk and squinting at the screen.

“Yeah, man,” Dean said dismissively, rubbing at his thighs and trying to refocus. Shit, he was still wearing his PJ pants—could Cas tell? Did it matter? “My throat’s a little tickly is all.”

Castiel frowned. “Have you been in contact with anyone? We can cut this short if you’re unwell, Dean.”

“Nah,” Dean said, shaking his head. “I think it’s just allergies. I’m trying not to overreact.”

“Have you taken some Benadryl?” Castiel asked, his worry evident. “Maybe you should get into bed and relax, maybe have some warm soup or take a nap.”

“Yes, dear,” Dean said teasingly, mocking Castiel’s concern gently. “I’ll just leave this project to manage itself, shall I?”

Castiel flushed pink on the screen, but even so, he answered seriously, “Dean, I mean it. The project can wait if you just don’t feel up to it. We’re ahead of schedule anyway.”

That was true. Dean had enjoyed working with Cas so much that most days they worked a little over their intended time, and they were making great progress. 

“I guess you’re right,” Dean allowed. “I really don’t think it's anything, but I guess we’re in ‘better safe than sorry’ territory right now.”

Castiel nodded. “We are. So, go and rest, Dean. If you leave your address in the chat, I can get these contracts mailed over to you in the morning and you should have them by Monday. If you sign all your pieces and mail them on to Sandover, they can authorize payment for the next stage.”

Dean nodded his agreement, quickly typing his apartment number and street before he straightened back up. “Alright, Cas. You take care, okay?”

“Make sure _you_ take care,” Castiel threw back with a shy smile. “You don’t seem like the type of person who takes time for themselves easily, but please do.”

Dean nodded, smiling softly. He wasn’t sure exactly where Castiel had managed to get that _entirely correct_ opinion of him, but it made him happy that Cas would even care. “Yeah, alright. Catch you Monday.”

Dropping his headset onto the desk, Dean dragged himself across the room to his bedroom door. He didn’t realize that he hadn’t turned the camera off until he reached his bed, drooping pajama pants and all. Damn it.

Dean dug around in his nightstand and located his Benedryl, deciding to take a nap until it kicked in. 

Just under an hour later, he was woken by the buzzer on his apartment door.

“Hello?” he called groggily through the intercom.

“Postmates,” a chirpy kid in a baseball cap announced, holding up a bag from Souplantation. “Delivery for Dean Winchester. I’m not allowed to bring it up right now, so I’ll leave the bag in the foyer.”

“Uh, sure, but I didn’t—”

“Thank you!” the kid announced, scurrying away. 

Puzzled, Dean made his way down to grab the food, armed with his can of Lysol spray. When he made it back to the apartment, he opened the brown paper bag and pulled out a large, warm container of chicken noodle soup and an order of fresh bread. 

He wasn’t that surprised when the curly, shittily printed receipt revealed the name “ _C. Novak”_ above the credit card totals.

Warmed by much more than the hot soup, Dean took himself back to bed with his surprise dinner.

x

Saturday started...well, the same as every other fuckin’ day since Dean had quarantined himself at home; the coffee maker did its thing, he debated showering, he checked all his social media profiles online. Dean wasn’t a big social media person pre-quarantine, but now it was the only way he got to keep up with the lives of his brother and friends. It was growing on him, he’d admit.

By eleven in the morning, he’d managed to get himself cleaned up and into a charcoal henley and soft sweatpants. Progress. He was feeling fine; his throat issues the day before had definitely just been allergies since they had cleared up easily with the medication, but no doubt the rest had done him good. Dean hummed and smiled as he tidied away the remaining soup packaging into his trash can. 

It had been really sweet of Cas to send him dinner. It was certainly far beyond the call of a mere colleague, though Dean hoped by now that they were at the very least becoming friends.

If he was very quickly starting to wish Castiel was more than that then, well, that was his business.

Dean had just started season two of Dr. Sexy over and was considering making himself some more coffee when his laptop chimed.

It was Castiel.

On a Saturday.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said, picking up the laptop and moving it over to the couch. He wasn’t at work, after all.

“Hello, Dean,” came Castiel’s deep rumble. “I hope you don’t mind me contacting you outside of work. I realize it's a little untoward. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

For a brief moment, Dean forgot that he was on camera and let his mouth hang open. Hot damn… He’d thought Castiel was attractive in his suits. But now his face filled the screen, slightly flushed and sweating around his hairline. His cheeks were pink and heated, and as he moved back from the camera slightly, Dean caught sight of a tight black t-shirt stretching across his defined biceps. Wow.

“Dean? Can you hear me?”

“Oh—yeah, uh, sorry. Yes. Hey, Cas.” Dean licked his lips involuntarily.

“You said that already,” Castiel pointed out with what may have been the tiniest of smirks. 

Dean needed to get his shit together—this was technically his coworker, after all. He cleared his throat forcefully. “Sorry. What can I do for you?”

“I was just calling to see how you were,” Castiel said, wiping at his brow in clear embarrassment. “Apologies for the state I’m in. I haven’t been able to go and run on the track at the gym like I usually would, so I’ve been using my running machine at home. I probably should have showered first.”

“Nah, you’re fine,” Dean said, rearranging himself on the couch. “I think we’re past suits and formality by now.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Castiel agreed with a smile. “So, you sound a lot better.”

“Yeah, I am. It was definitely just allergies, I think. Nothing to worry about. I got some good rest and some comforting soup, thanks to you.”

Castiel looked a little awkward again. “That was...presumptuous of me.”

“It was kind,” Dean corrected. “Thanks. Really. I appreciated it a lot, and it really helped me feel better.”

“That’s good.” Castiel visibly relaxed. “I realized a little too late that I was probably walking a thin line between goodwill and harassment by having it delivered to your home address.”

Dean chuckled. “You’re fine, buddy. We’re friends, right? I just won’t mention it to HR.”

They laughed and then lapsed into silence for a moment, It was strangely comfortable, and Dean realized that he was really glad Castiel had called. It sounded silly to say that he was going to _miss_ him if they didn’t talk until Monday...but he’d definitely have missed him if they didn’t.

They’d talked for hours a day for several weeks by then. He was just used to it, Dean reasoned.

“Oh,” Castiel rumbled from the laptop speakers, his voice rising slightly in excitement, “this is a great episode!”

Dean realized that while rearranging himself on the couch seat he’d turned so that Castiel could see the TV screen beyond Dean’s head, where Dr. Sexy still played. He grinned, looking back toward the screen after checking out the TV. “You like Dr. Sexy, Cas?”

Castiel flushed slightly again. “I do. I have every episode on DVD.”

“Me too,” Dean admitted with a wink. “What’s not to like? Exciting medical procedures, dramatic soap opera storylines, hot nurses.”

“Uh, yes,” Castiel agreed, slightly vaguely. “Hot nurses, I suppose.”

“And of course, Dr. Sexy himself,” Dean tried, smirking slightly, but having a feeling he was wading in the right direction. “The hottest one of them all.”

Castiel blinked at first, looking a little surprised, but then relaxed into a smile after a moment. “Definitely,” he agreed. “It’s the cowboy boots.”

They spoke for a few more minutes, briefly discussing their favorite storylines and dramatic exits from the show, before Castiel had to go because he’d promised to call his brother. 

Dean hung up feeling buoyant, an inflating balloon of hope in his chest at the discovery that his sexy, engaging, kind colleague was—at least a little bit, in some way—gay.

x

“At least our part of the project is going well,” Dean said, following it up with a long sigh. 

It was Monday, and Castiel had been walking him through the background accounting process of their sales procedure. It had all been going great. Up until Adler had emailed to let them know about hold-ups elsewhere in the project, anyway.

“It’s always the same with team projects,” Castiel agreed grumpily. He was practically pouting, to Dean’s amusement. “Certain parties pull all the weight, while others drag their heels and make things harder for the rest of us. Of course, when the project is finally finished, everyone will be praised equally because Naomi has no idea what any of us do.”

Dean bit back a smile.

“What?” Castiel asked, narrowing his eyes at the camera.

“You’re cute when you’re grumpy,” Dean said. Immediately, he realized what he’d said and felt his own face heat. Shit.

The room was suddenly so silent that Dean could hear the ceiling fan in Castiel’s apartment whirring around overhead to stir up the oppressive quarantine air. 

Castiel had averted his gaze. The tips of his ears were vivid red and the color had crept across his cheekbones, too. It made his eyes look even more blue. 

Awkwardly, Castiel reached across to grab some papers from his desk and rather pointlessly shuffle them before putting them back down. He cleared his throat.

“So, should we go through what your team will need available on the app when they’re in the field?” 

“Yes,” Dean said hurriedly. “Let’s do that.”

They returned to work and after another hour or so Dean was relaxed again, his faux pas forgotten. They came to a lull in the conversation about what kind of access certain employees would need, and Dean pushed his chair back to stretch out languidly, raising his arms over his head.

Suppressing a yawn, Dean shook his head and asked, “How have you and your family been doing with all this social distancing, Cas? You said you were calling your brother the other day.”

Castiel was staring at Dean’s middle, but his eyes jerked up to respond. “Oh—y-yes. We’re all well. Healthy, I mean. I have four brothers, and we’re all quarantined in different places. Oddly, I think we’ve spoken to each other more since all this began than we usually do.”

Dean chuckled. “I only have one brother, but we’re really close, so it’s been weird only having phone calls. We usually have dinner together a couple of times per week. Just at each other’s homes. Y’know, cooking together, having a beer, that kinda stuff. I miss it.” 

“You cook?” Castiel asked, sounding very interested. “What’s your favorite thing to cook?”

“Oh, homemade burgers, definitely. I make amazing burgers from scratch.”

“Really? Burgers are my favorite food. I don’t make them myself though, I’m a terrible cook. I’m not even sure I’d know how to.”

Dean shook his head, sitting up. “You could totally do it, a smart guy like you. It’s simple. I bet I could teach you.”

“Really?” There was something strangely hopeful threading through Castiel’s voice.

Dean bit his bottom lip and flicked his eyes to the clock in the corner of his laptop screen. It was just gone six—as usual, he and Castiel had been working and talking long beyond when they needed to be. “You got any ground beef, Cas?”

“Ground...beef?” Castiel sounded confused, but then a smile spread over his face as he understood. “Give me a moment, I’ll check.”

Dean was happy to give Castiel a moment, watching his butt move off to the kitchen in the clingy, blue checked pajama pants he was wearing. They’d both given up on their work clothes a while ago, and neither had mentioned it.

Castiel reappeared, triumphantly wielding a frozen package of beef. “Will this work?”

“Sure will, buddy,” Dean said with a grin. “Go get that in the microwave to thaw out and I’ll get my laptop set up in the kitchen.” 

Fresh, unfrozen beef would have been far superior, of course, but he could hardly make a fuss about that in the middle of a pandemic. Dean had been using Instacart to get his groceries delivered and it was very iffy what he’d get on any given day. They’d make it work. 

Forty minutes later, Dean and Castiel were both sitting down at different kitchen tables, several miles apart across town, digging into their fresh-cooked burgers. Dean had his laptop on the table in front of him as if Castiel was sitting across from him.

“What do you think?” Dean asked, grabbing a couple of home-fries to dip into some ketchup.

A filthy, drawn-out moan answered him through the laptop speakers. _“Dean,”_ Castiel groaned out. “This is fantastic. You are magical.”

Dean was instantly hard in his sweatpants. Thank God for the kitchen table obscuring him from the waist down. “No, no,” Dean choked out. “That’s all you, buddy.”

Castiel smiled shyly, and Dean looked back at him, feeling warm and proud. Dean reached out for his beer, tugging the condensation-damp bottle across the table toward himself before settling it in his palm, regarding Cas. With a cheesy grin, Dean raised his bottle toward the camera.

With an amused chuckle, Castiel picked up his bottle and did the same, a corny ‘cheers’ from miles apart. Castiel accompanied his swig of beer with a really awkward, uneven wink and Dean’s heart spun a circle in his chest.

What a dork.

Well, what dorks they both were, he supposed.

Once they were done eating, Dean stacked his dishes up ready to put in the dishwasher. “I suppose I should let you go,” he said reluctantly. “I never even asked if you had anything planned for this evening, I’m sorry.”

Castiel shrugged. “Honestly, this was a great evening, Dean. Thank you. I had fun.”

“Me too,” Dean agreed with a smile. 

For a long minute they just stared at each other, soft and warm, and it took all of Dean’s willpower to break it off before it became ridiculously awkward.

“So, uh, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. For work, like always.”

Castiel nodded, reaching across to hang up their call. “Of course. One o’clock. Goodnight, Dean.”

“Goodnight, Cas,” Dean whispered to the blank screen.

x

Castiel had this expression he made when Dean managed to surprise a laugh out of him. His eyes crinkled at the sides, making them hooded as they sparkled, and his startlingly white teeth were revealed behind his full, pillowy-looking lips. It was a look that always made Dean’s breath catch.

Three days after their Zoom dinner, Castiel was making that expression on the other side of the screen, and Dean found himself _aching_ to reach out and touch. He wanted to know if Castiel’s wild hair was as soft as it looked, he wanted to know what his stubble would feel like under Dean’s lips if he kissed up his jaw. 

“What?” Castiel asked him, tilting his head to the side quizzically.

Dean must have been staring again. He wasn’t sure he even cared, anymore. “I’m just having a good time, is all.”

“Well, work is long over,” Castiel said. “I suppose it’s allowed. Though, I suppose that means I should also let you go.”

Dean gave a reluctant grunt of agreement from his slouched position in his desk chair. 

“Do you have any plans this evening?” Castiel asked.

“I was thinking of watching a movie, maybe,” Dean said. “Not much else to do, alone, really.” 

“Well, we could… We could watch something together,” Castiel suggested. From the way his arms were moving on the screen, Dean could tell that Castiel was fidgeting a little as if he was nervous. 

“You wanna spend the evening hanging out with me?” Dean asked, delighting at the pink color he spotted at Castiel’s neck.

“I do,” Castiel said. “If you want to, at least. I mean, I uh, I don’t know anything much about movies, I’m not very well-versed in—”

“Of course I want to, Cas,” Dean interrupted Castiel’s babbling gently. “Hanging out with you is fun. We’ve done it before.”

“I do always enjoy our time together, our talks,” Castiel confessed, still sounding slightly shy.

“Me too, Cas.”

“But I don’t want to keep you from your life, from more important—”

“Hey, Cas?” Dean interrupted, wanting to put an end to his uncertainty. “Please hang out with me tonight. We have to shelter in place. I live alone, I’m single, and I really enjoy your company. I like you. We should watch a movie.”

Castiel’s smile, usually small on his stoic face, was big enough to crinkle his eyes again. “I’d like that, Dean.”

Soon enough, they had popcorn and beers and their laptops on their couches, a movie streaming on their screens while they talked on voice chat. They couldn't see each other, but it wasn't much different than watching a movie in the dark, Dean figured. Cas was still there, just...not right next to him.

“So, what’s this movie about?” Castiel asked around a crunch of popcorn.

“It’s a suspense type thing,” Dean said flippantly, wiggling onto his side on the couch and settling his popcorn bowl firmly in front of him. “The two hot French guys hook up by this lake all summer, but it turns out one of them is a murderer.”

“Which one?”

“That’d be telling,” Dean said cheekily. “Also, I can’t remember. I think I downloaded this movie when I was drunk and I never got around to watching it.”

Castiel let out a low chuckle. “One of the tamest things you can do while drunk, I suppose.”

“I’m a riot in my middle age,’ Dean confirmed sarcastically. “My younger self would be so disappointed in me.”

“I’m not sure my younger self would.” Castiel mused. “I was always a bit awkward, even back then. Even my drunken shenanigans were always quite tame.”

“Ahh, don’t give up hope, Cas,” Dean quipped, grinning even though Castiel couldn’t see him. “You’re not dead yet.”

Castiel chuckled and they fell quiet, watching the movie open on their screens. They both worked their way through several beers, comfortable and entertained. Dean really had forgotten whodunnit in the movie.

And he’d also forgotten quite how _graphic_ the movie was. 

It wasn’t _quite_ porn, but it was pretty damn close.

As the two buff guys on-screen frolicked in the lake, water droplets flying everywhere erotically, Dean adjusted himself on the couch, glad that Castiel couldn’t _see_ how arousing he was finding the film. Not that he wasn’t enjoying the movie, but maybe he should apologize to Cas and ask if he wanted to watch something else—

So softly that he almost missed it, Dean heard Castiel’s breath catch. 

Was he enjoying it, too?

Dean had always been a “seize the day” kinda guy. Actually, Sam always said he was just a “never thinks things through” kinda guy, but Sam was boring, all married and content and stuff. 

Dean...he liked to take his chances. 

Dropping his voice low and sounding as suggestive as he could, Dean quietly asked, “Enjoying the movie there, Cas?”

“I, uh—” Castiel’s throat clicked. “Yes. It’s very, uh, suspenseful.”

“Suspenseful, yeah,” Dean echoed knowingly. Moistening his lips, Dean rolled onto his back, not even looking at the movie anymore as he said, “It’s, uh, pretty hot, too, actually.”

Castiel was quiet for a moment, and Dean didn’t push. But eventually, before the silence stretched on too long, Castiel said, “Yes, it is hot. The situation is very, uh…”

Dean only let Castiel trail off awkwardly for a moment before he suggested, “Arousing?”

He didn’t want to push Cas into anything he didn’t want, of course, but if Castiel’s elevated breathing was anything to go by, he was definitely getting the idea.

“Yes,” Castiel admitted, a little faster. “Arousing.”

Fuck it, what was the worst that could happen? Castiel would disconnect and at work the next afternoon they wouldn’t be able to look each other in the eye? Well, Dean had been through plenty of awkward almost-hookups in his life (although he was proud to say that his usual batting average was pretty high.) He’d just apologize for misreading the situation, and they’d move on.

Dean was fairly certain that Castiel liked him, though, the same way he liked Cas. The staring, the blushes, the long, winding conversations, and not-quite dates. Maybe he wasn’t so far off base here.

Dean took a breath, speaking clearly though he kept his voice low and sultry. “Do you like it, Cas?”

“Yes,” Castiel answered, without any hesitation. “I do.”

“Are you touching yourself, Cas?”

“I—no,” Castiel whispered. As the movie entered a quiet lull, Dean heard Castiel moisten his lips before he breathlessly added, “but I could.” 

Oh, fuck—now they were talking. Dean lowered himself down further on the couch, relaxing his head back onto a throw pillow. On the screen, sucking and moaning noises filled the air as the two main characters in the movie traded blow jobs on the lakeshore. 

“Go ahead,” Dean said, trailing his own hand down his stomach. “If you want to… Touch yourself.”

“W-what about you?” Castiel asked, the hitch in his voice giving away that he surely wanted to.

“Right there with you—just teasing, sliding my hand down my stomach, slipping my fingers under the elastic of my sweatpants…”

Castiel’s breath caught again, louder, a quiet gulp sounding in Dean’s ears. 

“Talk to me, Cas,” Dean encouraged, trailing his fingers over the smooth, hard firmness of his cock within his boxers. “Tell me what you’re doing.”

“I’ve got one hand wrapped around myself, stroking real slow,” Castiel said, his voice even deeper than it had been. “I’m cupping my balls with my other hand. Squeezing, gently.” 

Dean bit his bottom lip, before releasing it to let out a little moan. He _wanted_ Castiel to hear him, after all. He lifted his head, spitting into his palm, and pushed his sweatpants down his thighs.

Castiel’s breathing picked up in pace as Dean let out little moans and sighs, tugging at his cock with his back arched. 

On the screen, muted sunlight dappled over tan bodies as the men in the movie fucked into each other on the beach. Right. The movie. They were here because the movie was hot, but Dean didn’t want that to be _why_ they were doing it.

“Cas,” Dean gasped out, picking up the pace as slick pulling noises reached his ears from Castiel’s end of the voice call. “Tell me what you’re thinking about...who you’re thinking about.”

“I— _oh_ —I’m, I’m thinking about you,” Castiel confessed, sparking something in Dean’s chest.

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean agreed, already breathless. “Thinking about you, too, Cas.”

 _“Dean…_ ” A low, unintelligible curse fell from Castiel’s mouth. 

“What are you imagining me doing, Cas?”

Confident by then, Castiel’s voice was a bass vibration as he said, “I’m imagining my lips stretching around your cock, tingling and wet from swallowing you down deep. Gripping your hips, pulling you further into my throat...”

Dean groaned. “You wanna blow me, Cas?”

“Yes, yes— _oh, God—yes,_ Dean…”

“You could blow me with your fingers in my ass, Cas,” Dean said, panting and lost and uncaring. “Stretching me out, buried up to your knuckles, slicking me up inside, getting me ready for your cock.”

“Oh— _yes._ ” Castiel moaned in agreement. “I would very much like to be inside you, Dean.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes—you’re so beautiful, Dean. So hot…” Castiel’s voice was rising in pitch, his breathing ragged.

“Fuck,” Dean whispered, building pressure in his lower abdomen giving his voice a croaky quality. “Want that, Cas… Want you to sink inside me, stretch me out good, fill me up. Your gorgeous, Cas. Shit, I want you…”

Castiel’s speech was rapidly devolving into a series of gasped ‘ _Oh’s_ and ‘ _Uh’s,_ and breathy gasps that were just as erotic to Dean for all that they were less eloquent.

Holy shit, this hadn’t been what Dean had planned for the evening, but Cas sounded so fucking sexy like that…

“You gonna come for me, Cas?” Dean asked, stringing together his words in a long slur.

“Yes, yes, I’m gonna— _Ahh, Dean—_ I’m going to come, Dean, I—”

Dean’s own orgasm hit him suddenly, his muscles clenching and tightening in a rhythmic roll that started at his balls, forceful and hot, and ended in a fizzing, light sensation that spread right to his toes. “Oh, shit! Cas! _Cas…”_

The echoing groan of Castiel spilling over his hand, miles away, was sexier than any noise the actors of the long-forgotten movie had managed to fake.

In Dean’s chest, his heart was beating a frenzied bossa nova against his ribcage. 

Castiel’s voice, dopey and lazy and post-orgasmic—rumbling directly in Dean’s ears—whispered low, “I wanna kiss you, Dean.”

The words added another staccato layer to the music Dean’s body was making. “Yeah, Cas,” he agreed, warm and fuzzy. “Really wanna kiss you, too.”

Rolling his head to the side, Dean reached across to where his laptop was perched on his coffee table. He paused the movie screen, exiting out of the film—people were talking, some plot had happened, he no longer cared—and returning to Zoom.

After a moment, Castiel did the same. Close enough to the laptop that his face filled the screen, Castiel’s shirt was gone, evidenced by the pinkish, flushed skin of his collarbone. His eyes were bright, his lips slightly parted as he caught his breath. 

“Hello, Dean,” he murmured, suddenly looking nervous again.

“Hey, handsome,” Dean purred lazily, rolling onto his side and propping his head up onto his fist. They looked at each other for a moment, suppressing grins, before Dean let out a low chuckle. “That was some movie.”

“Yes,” Castiel agreed, his smile growing. “I wouldn’t mind, if, uh…” 

Interpreting Castiel’s trailing off as a hopeful invitation, Dean nodded. “Me either, Cas. Movie night should be a regular thing.”

“Until the Shelter-In-Place order is over?” Castiel asked, raising one eyebrow a barely detectable fraction.

“Yup,” said Dean, cheerfully popping the ‘p’. “Because once it's over, we can do other things for dates.”

Beaming, Castiel dropped his eyes for a second in relief before he nodded. 

“Yes, Dean. I’d like that, too.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read! 
> 
> Now that my posting fingers are warmed back up, I have upcoming offerings for you!
> 
> Very shortly, I will begin posting a short canon wing fic for you all. Its fluffy, and sweet, and full of all the kinky wing tropes that I know I personally have read plenty of times before, but can never get enough of. The best part? Its a collab with the fantastic [lizleeships!](https://lizleeships.tumblr.com/) Honestly, if you don't know her art, where have you been...go, go! She's amazing.
> 
> I also have an upcoming "omg they were roommates", friends with benefits WIP coming up soon that I am VERY excited about, and two Big Bang fics - _The Curious Case of Cuthbert Sinclair_ , a gritty, regency monster hunters type fic with the amazing [EllenOfOz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllenOfOz/), and a DeanCas retelling of _Falling Inn Love_ , a tropey-as-heck Netflix movie with art by my wonderful friend and gorgeous creator [Foxymoley](https://foxymoley.tumblr.com/).
> 
> I hope you'll join me for some of them <3
> 
> I love responding to your comments, so please do let me know what you think of this version of Dean and Cas? Do you think Sam will be confused that his brother found himself a boyfriend while in isolation? Let me know!
> 
> \- Mal <3


End file.
